Fire-alarm system



6 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(NOMOdeL) J. SPEICHER.

l PIRE ALARM SYSTEM. No.1416,513. Patented Deo. 3, 1889.

ATTY's.

Nv PETERS, Fhm-Lnhogmpher, washlnnon. D. C4

(No Model.) e sheets- Sheet 2.

J. SPEICHER. FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

110.416,513. Patented 1160.3, 1889.

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Phowuhognphar. wuhingwn. D. c.

6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

J. SPEICHER. PIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

Patented Deo. 3, 1889.

NA PETERS. pnom-Lnhngnpner, wuhing'tiv. D. C.

(No Mader.) 6 sheets-sheen 4. J. SPEICHER.

PIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

No. 416,513. Patented Deo. 3, 1889.

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.fl/m Mohn gb'peMflwI/y N. PETERS, Phmn-Llmbgrlpher. Waihmgcn, D.C.

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

J. SPEICHER.

PIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

No. 416,513. Patented Dee. 3, 1889.

MSL@- N. Prrzns. Phmumegnpher. wmimm u. c.

6.. +u e e h S S .fu nv e .n s 6 m RT ES Y HS C .im E

A DLL SA E JR Tl F 3. 1|.. m5 ,u 1 do 4 M a 0 m N Patented Deo. 3, 1889.

AV A@ WITNESSES: l

am l v @fw W2/m? 9e/wher, BY WQ ATTYs.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

.IOHN SPEICHER, OF JERSEY CITY, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO THE NEWARK DISTRICT TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF

NEVARK, NEIV JERSEY.

FI RE-ALARM SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,513, dated December 3, 1889.

Application filed October l0, 1888. Serial No. 287,726. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN SPEICHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City,

, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Alarm Systems; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speccation.

The object of this invention is to provide a fire-alarm system in which boxes inclosing circuit breaking or closing mechanisms adapted to be manipulated by hand to produce an alarm, and for the especial use .of private families, factories, and the like, can be applied to and employed With the ordinary district-boxes and mechanisms therein on the main circuits under the care or control of the city Without detriment to the said main circuits and district-boxes or in any Way interfering with their ordinary Working and with` out danger of producing a false alarm.

Further objects are to prevent interference in the event of two or more ire-alarm boxes on one and the same circuit being pulled or operated atv one and the same time 5 to prevent. certain armatures employed therefrom becoming unduly magnetized, rusted, or otherwise so affected as that they will permanently adhere to the magnet, and thus prevent a proper operation in case of an alarm being attempted; to secure a more perfect contact, and, generally, to secure detail improvements, advantages, and novel results, such as Will be hereinafter set forth when describing the parts.

The invention consists in the improved firealarm system and in the arrangements and combinations of parts, substantially as Will be hereinafter set forth, and finally embodied in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, embraced in five sheets, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several gures, Figure l is a general plan of the system to enable the course of the electrical current or influence to be easily traced. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a box adapted to be arranged on the main circuit-Wires, and showing an inside door closed and indicating an outer door open. Fig. 3 is a section of the last figure, taken on Aline to show the relation of certain push-buttons to the door, but not showingthe interior circuit-changing mechanism fully. Fig. tillustrates therelation of certain supplemental or private boxes arranged on extension-Wires to the main or district boxes arranged on the main circuit-Wires. Fig. 5 is an elevation (or plan) showing more in detail the interior mechanisms of the main nre-alarm box. Fig. 6 is a section of Fig. 5,taken on line y. Fig. 7 is a section of the same, taken on line a'.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line z z, and Fig.

9 is a section taken on line y y. Fig. 10 isa detail View of a certain bell-hammer. Fig. 11 is a detail plan of certain Wheels, &c., which Will be more particularly referred to. Fig. 12 is a detail section taken on line y and showing the same'parts as in Fig. 6, but in a changed relation ;V and Fig. 13 is an enlarged section taken on line a: Fig. 12. Figs. 14. and 15 are respectively a plan and elevation, very much enlarged, of the escapement mechanism shown in Figs. 6 and 13.

In said drawings, a indicates a fire-alarm box-such as are supplied by a municipality for the use of a district or neighborhood-- and the mechanisms therein will be illustrated particularly in a contemporaneous application iiled October 8, 1888, Serial No. 287,082, and it is therefore deemed unnecessary to illustrate the same more specifically than is disclosed by Fig. l.

In the improved main fire-alarm box, c, Fig. 5, indicates a front plate, and c a rear plate, which plates may be held together and to the interior walls of the box a in any suitable manner. The said plates provide suitable bearings for the working parts of the device. On opening the outer door d of the said box a au inwardly-extending post or pin e, secured on the inner side of said door, which projects through a perforation or opening f of an inner door g of said box, is withdrawn 'from a push-button m of the working mechanism arranged within the interior chamber i', Fig. 3, of the box. The inner door g serves to protect the mechanism in said chamber 'i from moisture, dust, dsc., when the outer door is open. The withdrawal of the post or pin 'e from the push-button or post m allows the latter to be forced outward by a spring n, introduced between the head of said button and the front plate, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 8.

Au inclined or wedge-like portion o of the push-button or post m engages a locking device, so that when the outer door is opened to allow of the alarm being sounded, should another alarm have been sounded from another station, the said locking device will serve to prevent the push-button 7i from being repressed and another alarm being sent over the circuit, and thus interfering with the rst alarm. The said locking device consists of a lever p, fulcrumed on the post or shaft q and adapted to move in a plane parallel with the plates c c. Said lever is provided with a suitable bearing r, so arranged as that when the wedge 0 is repressed by closing door (Z the lever p is forced away from its locking relation tothe push-button. 'Vhen the door is again opened, the push-button m is forced outward by the spring n, the wedge is withdrawn from en gagement with its bearings on the lever p, and the spring s, Fig. 5, is free to act to throw the lever p over the end of a bearingpost t, Fig. 8, and under the shoulder' 7i of the post IL, so that the latter cannot be repressed if an alarm has been previously sent over the circuit from some other station; but if this be not the case, then the lever j) is prevented from entering its locking relation with the push-button 7L by means of a magnet u., Fig. 5, and an armature r, carried by said lever p.

The magnet u is arranged on the main lirealarm circuit, as will be hereinafter described. The outer door of the box being opened to allow access to the push-button 71, the latter, should it be unlocked or free to be repressed because of there being no alarm passing over the circuit, is pressed back bythe finger, and as a result the alarm mechanism within the box is started and the alarm transmitted, as I will now proceed to describe.

Upon the push-button i. is i'ormed the shoulder h', above referred to, beneath which a spring armature-lever 7c bears. The said spring armature-lever at the end 7c thereof nearest the push-button or post engages with a sliding detent or escapement 3l, which is employed in connection with circuit-changin g mechanism of a private or supplemental box b2, for a purpose to be subsequently referred to.

When a single break or change in the current is deemed suiicient to operate the alarm mechanism, the sliding detent 31 and segment-teeth may be dispensed with, and then the simple projecting end 71; of the springlever may serve as a stop or detent to prevent the revolving arm Zfrom continuing its movement, the repression of the spring by the push-button h causing the said end k to pass from the path of the revolving arm, and thus allowing it to move under the influence of a mainspring yw, Fig. 5. In the case shown the said arm Z is provided with a cogged segment m. The spring inhering in the part 7c serves normally to keep the extremity 7c in engagement with the arm l. The arm l is arranged in connection with a train of cog-wheels actuated by the spring w, the said cog-wheels being indicated in outline in Fig. 5 at 2 3 4 5, the cog-Wheel 2 being arranged on the arbor U, adapted to receive a key and be wound up, the cog-wheel 5 being arranged on the arbor 7 with the small cog-wheel 4, and the cog 3, which meshes With the cog-Wheel 5, being on the arbor 8, which latter carries and transmits motion to the revolving arm ordetent l. The spring 7c also carries an armature f), arranged in co-operative relation with an electro-magnet l0, connected with the main-line wires b. The push-button h, being unlocked, as heretofore described, so that it can be repressed to effect an alarm, upon repressing the same the spring-arm 7o is thrown from holding relation with the revolving arm m, and as a result the said arm is free to move under the iuiiuence of the spring yw and the train of cog-u heels, so that a circuit-wheel 11, carried by the arbor 7, may be revolved to give the desired alarm on the main circuit. To prevent the push-button from flying back under the iniiuence of the springj immediately upon withdrawing pressure from the end thereof, and thus preventing a continuation of the alarm, I have provided a detent which holds the said push-button in its repressed position a sufficient length of time to allow the circuit-wheel 11 to make a number of complete revolutions, and thus allowing of, say, four repetitions of the alarm on the bells.

When the door is opened by the person seeking to transmit the alarm and the pushbutton m iiies outward, as described, (the magnet u on the circuit b, should no other alarm be in course of-tl'ansmission, holds the locking-lever p from the push-button 71,) the IOO IIO

push-button 7L is then repressed by the iinger, and as a result the spring k is pressed away from the detent-arm Z, and the latter and the train of wheels dependingon the mainspring w are set in motion. The circuit-Wheel 11, being thus set in motion, the same operates contact-points constructed l substantially as shown in Fig. 5, in which 13 indicates a bracket fastened upon the plate c and having a projecting block 12, made of rubber or other insulating material. On the opposite sides of said block are arranged metal tongues, one of which 14: is of sufficient thickness to carry or provide bearings for a contact-screw 15, which may have a locknut 1G. On the opposite side of said projecting block is a spring 17, which extends to and is operated on by the circuit-wheel, which latter causes said spring 17 to make a contact with the contact-screw, and thus transmit the alarm over the wires o, connected with the said parts 14 17.

The detent for holding the push-button consists, preferably, of a lever 18, fulcrumed on a pivot 19, carried by a pivotal bar 20, so that the said lever has a double movement, one movement being on the pivot 19 at right angles to the plate c, and the other with the pivotal bar 20 in a plane parallel with the said plate c, as will be understood upon reference to Figs. 5 and 7. At one end the said lever 18 engages the push-bar h, and at the opposite end it engages a notched flange on a cog-wheel 21, working on the pivot 6 and carrying a trip projection 22, Fig. 11. To engage the notch 23, the lever is provided with a catch projection or hook 24. The hooked end is held against the cog-wheel 21 by springs 25 and 26. When the post or button h is depressed, the hook 24 is raised out of the notch and rests on top of the wheel 21, while the opposite end enters an annular recess 25 throughthe influence of the spring 26 and remains therein until the notch 23 returns to the hook 24:, thus holding the push-button h in its repressed position until the circuit-wheel has had time to make the desired number of revolutions.

The trip projection 22 is' disposed closely adjacent to the notch 23 and engages one side of the lever, so that when the Wheel 2l has about finished its revolution it engages the side of the lever 18 and turns it on the pivotal post 2O away from the push-button 7L', or out from the recess 25" therein, as will be understood. I

To enable a series of private boxes to be used on the supplemental circuit in connection with the main circuit, and to do so without danger of producingafalse alarm because of an accidental break in the supplemental wire, such as is liable to occur when the said wires are exposed to the carelessness of the individuals occupying the building` containing the private boxes, and to avoid the useof independent batteries other than the one employed at the central station in operating the main line, I have arranged the wires in con-A nection with the boxes and mechanism therein, as follows: IVithin-the box of the vmain fire-alarm circuit I have arranged the relaymagnet 10, adapted to operate, in conjunction with thearmature 9, upon the spring-lever k to release the circuit- Wheel, as above described. Said magnet is wound with a finer wire or with a wire having greater resistance than the main line and supplemental or appended wires,` so that normallyA the electricity tends rather to `pass over the supplemental circuit than to take the course through the said magnet. Thus normally the appended shunt-Wire becomes an extension of the main circuit, and the said magnet is practically cut ont from the main line. When the shunt or extension wire is broken,then the said magnet-Wire becomes a part of the main circuit, as Will be understood. `Upon said shunt or extension wires b', centering at the districtbox, and connected to the main-circuit wires, is arranged the series of supplemental or private boxes b2, in each of which is arranged a handle and means for breaking or opening the said shunt or extension b', so that the current is forced through the magnet 10, thereby magnetizing the armature 9 and drawing it toward the magnet. This action tends to release the circuit-wheel of the main circuit and cause an alarm to be struck. I prefer to provide means in the supplemental boxes for breaking the circuit a number of times in quick succession, which, working in conjunction with an escapement in Athe box a, enables the release mechanism connected to the circuit-wheel to be operated a number of times before the circuit-wheel is entirely free to make its revolution and transmit an alarm. Thus a single opening or breaking of a. supplemental circuit-such as would occur by the inadvertent rupture of the wirewill not be sufficient to cause a false alarm to be transmitted.

The 'arrangement employed in the supplemental boxes for breaking the circuits may be many and varied, and I do not specifically limit myself to any herein. A peculiar construction which I may prefer to employ under some circumstances is shown in a contemporaneous application hereinbefore referred to; but any ordinary circuit-breaker may be4 arrangedin theprivate or supplemental boxes; or, again, I may by making suitable reversals employ mechanism for operating in connec-` tion with a normally-open circuit, in which case I employ a circuit-closer in the supplement-al boxes. The armature 9, carried by IOO the spring k, being suitably fulcrumed on bearings 27 is held normally away from the magnets 10 by a suitablespring 28, which engages said lever at 29, and is at its opposite end attached to a suitable fixture 30.

The said spring operates so that when the magnet 10 is not attracting the armature 9 it will cause said spring-lever to movc away from said magnet, so that the two (the magnet 10 and the spring 2S) unite in securing the vibrations of the lever, by means of which the detent-arm Z is allowed to free itself from the train of wheels which operate the circuitwheel only after a number of contacts or breaks have been made. The spring-lever 7c at the end 7c thereof enters into engagement with an escapement-pawl 31 and causes the same to slide on a stud or pivot 32 to and from engagement with the arm Z, which in the present case has the toothed segment m at its extremity, adapted to engage with the said escapement-pawl.

Then the alarm is produced directly from the main alarm-box ct, the pawl is detached from the toothed segment by depressing the push button or piece 7i, thus throwing down the spring la away from the segment, as heretofore described; but when the alarm is transmitted from the private or supplemental alarm-box the escapement-pawl is turned reciprocatingly on the pivot 32 by the vibration of the armature 9 and spring-lever until released from the notched segment Z, when the latter is allowed to turn on the pivot 8, and the train of gearing is allowed to move under the influence of the mainspringfw. The said mainspring Iw turns the wheel 2l, as well as the other wheels of the train, and this movement (in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 7 causes the hook 24, which is provided with inclines, as shown, to rise out of the notch, so that the lever 18, which extends over the end L of the spring-lever 71:, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, will (before the segment nt has arrived at its point of starting, where it would be stopped by the pawl) depress said spring k and force the pawl from the path of the segmental detent l, where it will remain while the circuit breaking or closingl wheel is 1naking its revolution or while the hook 24 is traveling over the face of the wheel 21. Just before the hook 24 arrives at the notch 23 at the close of the alarm the hooked end of the lever 13 is engaged by the trip projection 22, forcing the said lever laterally a little, so that its opposite end is forced out of the recess 25 if the push button or piece h has been pre viously repressed in sending out the alarm.

lVhen the hook 24 finally arrives at the notch 23 and drops therein under the pressure of the spring 25 and the lever 1S rises at 1ts opposite end off the end k', the latter rises under the influence ot' the spring 7c and causes the pawl 3l to engage the segment m', thus preventing further movement of said segment and the train connected therewith. The end lo of the spring-lever 7c works in a recess in a collar 35, so that said collar is caused to slide longitudinally on the post or pin 32 in either direction to or from the path of the segmental detent. The collar or pawl is provided with an arm 33, which projects toward the springdever, and said arm is provided with teats orlugs 34 34, as indicated in Figs. 12 and 13. Said teats or lugs extend up on opposite sides of the lever k, so that when the latter is caused to vibrate by the attrac-y tion of the armature 9 said lever will cause said pawl to move pivotally on the post or pin 32 to act as an escapement.

The wheel 21 is preferably provided with two notches and trip projections, and is provided with a ratchet-and-pawl attachment 38, 39, and 40 to prevent back movement, all as indicated in Fig. 11.

The movement of the train of cog-wheels is governed by a governing-wheel 35, pawl 36, and weights or pendulums 37, Fig. 5, or by any other equivalent means.

Upon the winding-arbor G of the circuitwheel train may be arranged a small cogwheel 41, which connects with a larger wheel 42 on the arbor 43, on which is arranged an indicating-hand 44, the said arbor 43 being lengthened, so-as to extend through a hole 45, Fig. 2, in the inner door, and the said indicating-hand lying on the outside, so that when the said box mechanism has been operated the said indicating-hand will disclose the fact, and thus a second party opening the box will be advised of the fact and be prevented from sending out an alarm. The hole 45is formed so that the indicating-hand will pass therethrough when the door is opened. The hand, when turned from its initial or normal position by the operation of the circuitchanging-wheel train, passes in front of the door, so that the same cannot be opened except by first turning the hand back to the said initial position. Thusa second alarm cannot be sounded inadvertently.

To secure a return-contact of the fire-alarm armature u with the magnet u, should the battery be weak and the armat-ure accidentally left open, l have provided another incline 47 on the push-button 'm opposite to that marked o in Fig. 8,which engages the bearing o', so that when the push-button flies out in opening the door the said incline forces the armature toward the magnet, so near thereto as to allow even a weak magnet to draw it into contact.

lVhen the door of the box is closed and the push-button m repressed or pressedv back because of the double incline, the armature is iirst forced toward the magnet u and then allowed to move away therefrom a short distance out of direct contact. Thus the armature will not become magnetized because of long-continued contact, as in certain devices of a similar nature heretofore in use, nor be held by rust should dampness get into the box.

In operating the system the electric current starts from the battery 50 at the central station, Fig. 1, and passes over the main wire h to the district-box, where it passes through the plug 51, (which plug, together with the plug 52, enables the shunt or extension lilies and supplemental or private boxes to be cut out.) The current then continues its course out from the district-box over the shunt or extension wires b and through the circuit-changing mechanisms of the private boxes (when the circuit is not broken) and IOO IIO

back to the district box, when it passes through the magnet u and then out of said box to the battery from which it started. Vhen the circuit is brokenat the private box by hand manipulation of the circuit-changer 53, the current is forced to take the course through the magnet l0, affecting the same so that it releases theescapement in the main box, and the circuit-wheel is finally free to transmit an alarm. f

The district-box is preferably provided with keys or plugs whereby the lines may be tested or parts of the circuit may be cut out when it is desirable so to do. rlhus when the plugs are in at 51 52, as in Fig. 1, the device may be operated, as described. By withdrawing from 5l 52 and inserting in hole A the supplemental boxes are cut oft'. A plug in hole D cuts out the mechanism in the main box, and in hole H enables the shunt to be worked without affecting the mechanism in the main box 5. in hole G allows the shunt to be worked with a single wire with a local battery on it and to ground the current over wire J at each end of the line; and K indicates a bindingscrew for connecting` ground-wire and Wires from lightning-arrester plates L M.

I indicates a key on the main circuit for sending in an alarm or message to the central office by hand.

I am aware that it is not new in fire-alarm v telegraphy to station an ordinary thermostat on a shunt-wire for automatically operating` a signal-transmitting instrument. I am also aware that such a thermostat may be operated by hand to transmit an alarm by one conversantwith the construction of the thermostat, although no suitable provision has been made therein for practical hand manipulation, whereby an unskilled or ignorant oporator may conveniently manipulate the instrument because of a handle-such as the one indicated at 53b in Fig. l-being provided, the operation of the improved device being obvious without previous knowledge or understanding of the construction of the instrument because of such handle. I am also aware that fire-alarm boxes containing` escapements have been controlled by auxiliary circuits or circuits having batter-ies thereon independent of the one at the central office by which the main circuit ris operated. The objections to the use of such independent or additional batteries will be apparent without specification here, and to avoid their use is, as hereinbefore intimated, an especial object of this invention. In my improvements the escapement is operated or controlled by the one battery ofthe central oihce. The box stationed on the shunt of the main circuitincloses the handled circuit breaker or closer, so that false alarms cannot be readily transmitted, and the terminals cannot be effected by the atmosphere when stationed out-ofdoors convenient of access to the hands of a factory and outbuildings.

Having thus described the invention, whatIA claim as new is- 1. The improved municipal fire-alarm system herein described, combining with a firealarmheadquarters or central office having alarm-indicating mechanisms and a battery therein a district fire-alarm box distant from said central office -and connected therewith by a main-circuit connection and inclosing a circuit-changer, a step-by-step escapement-detent controlling the action of said circuitchanger, and a magnet 10, arranged on a portion of the main circuit, having greater resistance than the body of said main circuit, and a private box stationed at a distance from the district-box and connected Ytherewith by a shunt-wire of substantially the same resistance as the said body portion of the main circuit, and having a connection with said main circuit on opposite sides of the electro-magnet lO, and in closing a circuitchanger with means for producing a plurality of changes in .t-he circuit, the circuit-changing mechanisms in both the district-box and private box being controlled by the one battery stationed at the central office or headquarters', substantially as set forth.

2. In a fire-alarm box, the combination, with the magnet u, of a locking-lever p, having an armature to be affected by said magnet, and a push-button Zt, provided with a wedge hav-' ing opposite inclines, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In afire-alarm box, the combination, with the magnet u, circuit-wheel train, and pushbutton h, of a lever p, engaging said push-button to prevent repression of the same, and thus prevent the release of the said circuit- Wheel train, an armature c, arranged in connection with said lever, a spring s, bearing 0^, wedge 0, push-button fm, and a pin or stud e, arranged on the door of the alarm-box, all said parts being arranged and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

4. In a fire-alarm box, the combination, with the circuit-wires b Z9 and the battery, of a magnetlO, arranged in connection with said circuits and wound with wires of greater resistance than said wires b h', an armature springlever Zr, a spring 2S, escapement-pawl detent 3l, operated by said armature spring-lever, a train of wheels operating a circuit-wheel ll, a toothed segment-arm Z, and contact-points 141 17, all said parts being arranged and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a fire-alarm box, the combination, with a circuit-wheel train having an arm Z, working therewith, of a detent, a push-button h, for releasing said detent from the arm Z, an armature-lever and magnets p a, a push-button m and connectionsfor operating the same, and a bearing't, the said lever being adapted to en gage said push-button h and bearing, all .said parts being arranged to operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

TOO

IIO

IIS

ti. The improved municipal iirealarm system herein described, combining therein a main electric circuit having stationed thereon a headquarters or central office containing the battery and the usual means for indicating an alarm, and, distant from said central ofiice, separate and distinct therefrom, a street tire-alarm box inclosing a circuitchanger and means for controlling the same by hand, whereby an alarm may be transmitted from said street fire-alarm box to the central office, said box also containing an electro-magnet controlling said circuit-changer, and a shunt of said main circuit having a private circuitchanger thereon stationed at a distance from said st1eet-box,Whereby when the shunt is broken at the circuit-changer thereon the said magnet is lnagnetized, the circuit-Wheel of the street-box is affected, and an alarm transmitted to the said central office, the one battery stationed at. headquarters con trolling the operations of the mechanisms at the three stations, substantially as set forth.

7. In combination, in a tire-alarm system, the main and shunt Wires, magnets 10 and u, escapement-lever k, spring 28, pawl 31, arm Z, cireuit-wheel train, lever 18, hooked as at 24, notched Wheel avith trip projection thereon, springs 25 and 2G, push-button h, having rccess 25, spring j, lever-armature j), having bearing o', push-button m, having wedges o, and spring s, all said parts being arranged. and combined substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a fire-alarm box, the combination, with a door having an elongated hole 45, of a circuitwheel train and a hand connected with said train and adapted to pass through said hole when in its normal position and to revolve or turn to lie in front of said door to prevent the same from opening, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. In colnbination, in a lire-alarm box,with the push-button h, having a shoulder h', and

a bearing t, a lever p, adapted to lock said button, the said lever having an armature, a magnet 11., and a push-button m, having opposite inclines, all said parts being arranged and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

l0. In a Iirealar1n box, the combination,

,with the circuit-changing-Wheel train, of a toothed segment m, a sliding escapement, an armatured spring-lever 7:, a spring' 28, an electro-magnet 10, and push-button 71substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. In a fire-alarm box, the combination, with a circuit-changing-wheel train, a toothed segment, and a sliding escapcment-paWl, of an armature-lever k and a magnet, said parts being arranged and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

l2. In combination, in a fire-alarm system, with a circuitchanging train having an arm I, a detent operated by an armature-lever k, a magnet arranged on the main circuit b and having winding-wires of greater resistance than the wires b b', a shunt b', having a circuit-changer, a push-button to release the detent from said arm,a lever 18, and a Wheel operating the same and connected with the said circuit-Wheel train, said lever 18 being adapted to engage the detent to throw the same into engagement with said arm, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

13. In combination with the circuit-changing train of a fire-"alarm box, a hooked lever 18, fulcrumed 011 a pivotal post, whereby it is capable of moving in planes atv right angles to one another, and a notched wheel having trip projections adapted to Operate said lever, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of September, 1888.

s JOHN SPEICHER. Witnesses:

CHARLES 1I. PELL,

CoNs'rANCE 1I. BALDWIN. 

